TCN believed with improved plant availability and relief from existing power system network related constraints, additional 1,5551.54 standard cubic feet of gas, equivalent to 5,818.3MW will be required when all thermal units are on bar.

Speaking on what the Federal Government is doing to improve electricity supply in the country, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, had said government was putting together a policy position to help expand the distribution network of the DisCos.

This would be used to allocate the 2,000MW that is currently available but cannot be distributed; noting that generated power had risen to 7,000MW in 2017 from 3,000MW recorded in May 2015.

He added that the transmission capacity also rose to 6,900MW in 2017 from about 5,000MW in May 2015, and peak distribution averaged 5,000MW in 2017 from 2,690MW in 2015.

Fashola said: “I also use the opportunity to call out to Manufacturers to let us know where they are, how much power they need, and how we can connect you because we have 2,000MW of undistributed power.

“This year, we should work harder to increase our people’s access to meters and reduce the incidents of estimated billing as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) concludes the Meter Regulations that will open up the meters supply and installation business.

“In the first few days of the New Year, we suffered a setback to our power supply which was caused by damage to the gas supply network around Okada.

“First, I want to repeat that gas is the fuel that most of the generation companies use to produce electricity and all of us have a stake in ensuring that they are not damaged.

“Secondly, I am happy to inform Nigerians that as at last night the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) informed us that repairs have been completed. We thank and commend them for their response.”